'Coronation Street' veteran Barbara Knox, who plays Rita Tanner in the soap, has reportedly been arrested for driving under the influence

The soap stalwart, who has played newsagent Rita Tanner in the ITV show for over 40 years, was taken into custody by police following an afternoon out with her daughter Maxine Ashcroft.

The incident occurred after Maxine, 56, was breathalysed as she drove home with Barbara in the passenger's seat, and was found to be three times the legal limit.

But when the 80-year-old star later turned up at Cheshire's Knutsford Police Station to bail out her daughter, she was allegedly arrested herself because cops apparently believed she had also been driving under the influence.

A source told The Sun newspaper: "Barbara wasn't happy her daughter had been arrested. She kept yelling, 'Do you know who I am?'

"She turned up at the police station knocking on the door and demanding her daughter be released. But the officers suspected she had driven to the station herself so they arrested her as well."

Barbara is said to have been bailed until next month, while her daughter has been charged with driving over the limit and will appear in court on April 2.

A Cheshire Police spokesman confirmed to the paper: "Police stopped a car in Hollow Lane in Knutsford. A 56-year-old woman from Gloucestershire was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving.

"An 80-year-old woman from Knutsford later arrived at Knutsford Police Station and was also arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and bailed."